To report a serious incident to DEM, as required by Section 85(2) of the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Act 2000, licensees should contact the serious incident reporting hotline on: (08) 8463 6666. For more information please visit the Compliance and Monitoring webpage | DEM-ERD has just released the first “Basin in a Box” data-package covering the Simpson and Pedirka Basins. The dataset is available via the “Data and Publications” page. Each package is a consolidated set of seismic and well data to facilitate new ventures and exploration assessments of frontier basins in South Australia. Data releases for other frontier basins will follow.

An individual,a body corporate (i.e. a company) or an unincorporated association of persons and bodies corporate (i.e. a joint venture involving several persons and/or companies). A foreign corporation application must be registered under the provisions of the Corporations Act 2001.

When application can be made

Initial licence at any time over an area which is not in a competitive tender region, otherwise by the closing time and date specified.

Renewal of licence not less than 2 months before existing licence is due to expire.

As negotiated with applicant after application (which must contain a proposed 5-year work program) has been received.

s.25

Area to be relinquished on each renewal

50% or 33.3% of original licence area; this is in addition to any areas voluntarily surrendered during each 5-year licence term.

s.26(3)

Fees for Minister's consent to dealing

(Exempt from GST)

$2,334 per transaction (document)

s.114

Fee for inspection of Commercial Register(Exempt from GST)

$233

s.118

Method of application

An application for a exploration Licence:

a) must be addressed to the Minister; andb) must be signed or executed by the applicant; andc) must include, or be accompanied by, the following information material (in addition to the material required by the Act):

The full name, business address and telephone number of the address applicant;

The name and telephone number of a person who can be contacted about the application;

A description of the area to which the application relates, using co-ordinates in a form determined or approved by the Minister, and, if available, cadastral boundaries;

A map indicating the area or route to which the application relates;

Information on the size of the area to which the application relates, expressed in square kilometres;

In the case of an incorporated body a copy of the bodys most recent audited annual financial statements, or in any other case statements that demonstrate the expected financial position of the applicant over the anticipated term of the licence (or a shorter term determined by the Minister);

A statement of the technical qualifications and experience of the applicant;

If the application is being made by more than one person information on the interest that each person will have in the licence (which may be expressed as a percentage);

Must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.

Penalty for non-payment of annual rental fees

All fees are payable in advance. Fees not paid by the due date may attract a fine of the greater of either $1,000 or 10% of the outstanding fee. In addition, interest on any outstanding amount will accrue at the rate of 6% per annum.

s.78(2)

Licence variations(Exempt from GST)

On application by the licensee, the Minister may at any time during the term of the licence, vary or revoke a condition of the licence or attach new conditions to the licence. Fee $2,334.

s.25(4)

Environmental conditions

As set out in the regulations and licence documentation, any special conditions will be outlined in the letter of offer attached to the licence.

Surrenders (partial or whole of licence)

The Act requires the licensee to apply to the Minister for permission to surrender.

Surrender is only permitted if the licensee has fulfilled all the terms and conditions of the licence up to and including the year in which the application to surrender is lodged. Licensees are required to lodge all outstanding data on their licences and carry out the clean-up and rehabilitation of their licence areas (where necessary) as a condition of surrender.

Surrenders are effective from the end of the appropriate year of the term of the licence (unless specified otherwise).

s.89

Required notice for approval to undertake work in licence area

Three months notice is required to arrange necessary clearances with other government agencies. This is carried out by the Department for Energy and Mining on the behalf of the licensee.

Required notice for approval to landholders

A licensee must, at least twenty one days before entering the land, give written notice to the occupier of the land.

s.61

Gazettals

Gazettals occur on:

a) grant of leaseb) surrender of licencec) suspension of licenced) cancellation of licencee) deferment, variation or reduction of a work program where a licence was granted on the basis of competitive tender.

s.92

s.25(5)(b)

Suspension and cancellation

The Act provides for suspension and/or cancellation for failure to comply with licence conditions.

s.91

Call for tenders

The Minister must call for tenders:

a) within a competitive tender regionb) where a person has unsuccessfully applied to an exploration licence (but not in response to a call for tenders) asks the Minister to call for tenders for the relevant area.

s.22

Criteria

Criteria to be considered for the grant of a PEL, GEL or GSEL

s.23

Fees current as at 1 July 2019

* The annual licence fee for a low level supervision operator may be reduced by an amount not exceeding 50%.